FSFE explains the importance of Free Software to the administration
of Region Lazio, Italy.

on: 2012-07-30

Last May 23th, the Council of Region Lazio, Italy, approved a Regional Law
on "Reuse of information and public data, and connected initiatives". With
further regulation, methods and technical rules for reusing software will be
determined. In the meantime, we proposed them a checklist of motivations by
which both Institutions and the Community would be advantages by a migration
to systems based on Free Software.

Adaptability, control, support for innovation and economical development.

Free Software can be freely modified. The Public Administration can adapt
him to her needs, how best required, with a flexibility advantage. In
case the PA wouldn't have the necessary human resources, she can demand
the adaptation to local partners, who don't have to refer to any software
vendor. This advantages the local industry and encourages competition among
different developers or providers of IT services: Free Software adoption
allows to foster the development of private economical initiatives, and of
technologically innovative projects. Actually, the freedom to modify software
allows to private economical operators to directly operate on software.

Software Reuse

Free Software is characterized by a type of licence allowing use, analysis,
modification and redistribution of software. Thanks to Free Software, public
authorities can use software already developed, or they can provide their
own solutions to other public authorities. This favours cooperation among
different entities, and allows to save on public resources, assigning them
to developments to improve software features. Indeed, problems faced
by different organisms tend to be similar, and can be solved efficiently
with a common effort.

Absence of licensing costs

The use of Free Software allows public authorities to nullify licence
costs. This does not mean that adopting Free Software is a costless
choice. Implementation, adaptation, technical support, maintenance, staff
training are activities which generate costs. A part of those costs are to
be faced also in case of choice of a proprietary solution, but given its
flexibility and the free competition among suppliers, Free Software will be
by far the more cost-effective choice in the long run.

Support for innovation

The freedom to study and modify software favours innovation and
cooperation among citizens and institutions. Free Software introduces
a model of conduct based on solidarity and civic commitment.